cost savings measures that you have implemented

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FrewBrew

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I started growing hops this summer and Im planning on reusing yeast for the first time in my next batch... what other cost saving measures have you implemented?

I figure between those 2 I could save $10/batch or better (pending the amount of hops in a given batch)

Thoughts?
 
I buy in bulk- a sack of two-row is usually under $40. So, that's 4 batches of beer, more or less, for $40. I buy yeast, wash it and reuse, spending an average of $.50/batch for yeast. I grow hops, but I also buy them in bulk. They vary from $8 to $15 a pound.

A typical batch for me (5 gallons) can be $15-$20.
 
Bulk grain and hops definitely keeps my costs down. I'm saving 60% on grain and maybe 40% on hops by buying bulk.
 
I wash yeast and re-use it. Even my dry yeasts, I wash the cake and save four jars of each type for future use. Just whip up a starter and go for it. I think with it all averaged out, I save about 6 dollars per batch now. Four jars make four new yeast cakes, which makes 16 new jars (i usually don't wash that much, just off the last jar). If I did that I could save a fortune! But then I would need a new fridge just for jars of yeast, and SWMBo may not like that.
 
Getting to know the homebrew store owner, then helping out at the shop and now working at the shop :)
 
I make my own ice, bought 20 inexpensive sandwich containers (cost me like $8), fill them with water and freeze them the night before brew day. Saves me $4-6 a batch.
 
Three words... Homemade wort chiller.

Not a process money saver, but saves a good amount of time and a nice chunk of change from buying one.
 
mattldm said:
Free yeast from a local brewery!
Click to expand...

That's what I do too. I'm luckiny in that I have 3 breweries within a short drive from my home. One of them also sells me base grain for $.50 a pound. Not to mention I got a deal from another for Columbus hops $10 for a pound.
 
So far, I have started washing my yeast. I have 4 strains banked in the fridge to choose from. Once I have a little better understanding of what beers I want to keep in the pipeline at any one time I will start buying malt/grains and hops in bulk instead of buying kits.

Biggest savings I can think of would be resisting the temptation to buy more gear...
 
I've been washing yeast for almost as long as I have been brewing, dumpster diving for bottles, planting hops this year, making a stir plate, and freezing massive amount of ice every brewday to cool.

I am getting a mill whenever I get my reward card from my credit card, sometime soon I am going to go to a local brewery and see if they will sell me bags of base grain for cheap, I'll probably get a foodsaver soon so I can store my hop harvest and start buying bulk hops, and sometime this week I will make my large bag for all grain BIAB. Hopefully this will help me better keep the beer flowing for this football season.
 
1) went to all grain (cut my production costs in half ~$10-15/batch)
2) got a filter for well water instead of buying 6 gallons of spring water every time...(~$5-6/batch)
 
Slurm said:
So far, I have started washing my yeast. I have 4 strains banked in the fridge to choose from. Once I have a little better understanding of what beers I want to keep in the pipeline at any one time I will start buying malt/grains and hops in bulk instead of buying kits.

Biggest savings I can think of would be resisting the temptation to buy more gear...
Click to expand...

I've heard that a lot in this thread...what exactly is the process for 'washing' your yeast and saving it?:drunk:
 
To save I:

-use dry yeast, re-use it once
-Buy Grain in Bulk, hops semi-bulk (half pound for 8.95)
-Made my own Crystal malt in several degrees L
-Buy anything I can in large size (32 oz star sans, etc.)
 
Slurm said:
Biggest savings I can think of would be resisting the temptation to buy more gear...
Click to expand...

That's the toughest one, and a savings I haven't been able to capture yet. However, after I buy a grain mill and an oxygen aeration kit, I think I'll be done.
 
Think again! There is always that one more thing. The biggest cost saver to me was buying a grain mill and bulk grain. Hops growing will eventually save money. Yeast washing is instant savings if you build a stir plate.
 
I'm actually pretty good about not buying new stuff. I get my project fix on the cheap, like replacing my mash tun false bottom with a SS braid. Or mounting a grain Hopper to my mill.

On topic, all the suggestions are right on. Grain by the sack. Hops by the pound. Reuse yeast. $20 batches.
 
Buy in bulk when ever possible. I crush with a corona & hand drill. Next thing I'm looking into is cost of propane vs. electric.

I also heat my strike water on the electric stove inside, instead of on the burner.


I think one of my biggest savings is actually keeping the pipeline going, and not buying much beer.
 
bosco_NJ said:
That's what I do too. I'm lucking in that I have 3 breweries within a short drive from my home. One of them also sells me base grain for $.50 a pound. Not to mention I got a deal from another for Columbus hops $10 for a pound.
Click to expand...

I am going to do this. I am at the one brewery like once a week for growlers. He is big into sustainability too so is very happy to give away his by products.

I just got started. Spent way too much on my first two batches but Id do it over again. They will get cheaper as I go I would imagine.
 
Parkinson1963 said:
brewit2it said:
To save I:


-Made my own Crystal malt in several degrees L

What process do you use to make crystal malt??
-
Click to expand...

I followed this that I found on a blog on the web:
http://barleypopmaker.info/2009/12/08/home-roasting-your-malts/

•For Crystal/Caramel Malt soak 1-2 lbs of pale 2 row in just enough water to cover plus about an inch (make sure you use distilled, filtered tap, or spring water). Let soak for a few hours, but no less than 2 hours and no more than 24, I soak for 3 hours. Then Put grains into a pan and keep grains about 2″ deep then place into a preheated 180 degree oven (make sure you have a probe thermometer in the oven and not to let the temps inside the stewing grain to go above 160. If they do reduce your ovens temperature) for 1 1/2 hours. Then spread out grain into 2 separate pans and make sure the grains are no more than 1″ deep. Then increase temperature in over to 250 and let bake for 2 hours or until dry. Then if desired remove from oven for light crystal, or use the roasting guide above to create your own darker versions of crystal malt. Personally I like the 350 degrees for 45 minutes for a sweet roasty crystal malt. Experiment with 1lb batches and see what you like. I find that 1.5lbs is perfect, 2lbs seems to take way to long to dry.
Click to expand...
 
usfmikeb said:
I know, there will always be another shiny new toy!
Click to expand...

Seriously. First I made a mash tun, then bought 2 50lb sacks, then a mill so i could mill it, then a chest freezer, then kegs, then more kegs, and last night i bought a thermapen. If I didnt have to boil all this stovetop I am sure I would have a burner, larger kettle, pump, and a plate chiller.
 
Beezy said:
I am going to do this. I am at the one brewery like once a week for growlers. He is big into sustainability too so is very happy to give away his by products.

I just got started. Spent way too much on my first two batches but Id do it over again. They will get cheaper as I go I would imagine.
Click to expand...

Where you at in Pittsburgh? And what brewery? I am all for sustainability!
 
Buying grain and hops in bulk is all I do. I use dry yeast 85% of the time, and at $3.50 a pack, the cost savings isn't worth my time.

At 80-84% effciency I use 8-10lbs of base malt a batch. That's at 80 cents a pound. Hops are in bulk $9-10 a pound. Adding yeast and specialty malts, brew salts to add to RO, propane, and star san, I pay an honest $14-25 a batch depending on how hoppy the beer is. That's good enough for me. My time is worth more to me, so I don't need to dig any further.
 
Make friends with local homebrewers. Timing my brewing so that I can reuse harvested yeast.
 
I have an insulated propane gas boil kettle that captures the heat off the sides of the kettle and vents it out the back through a stove pipe exhaust toward the top of the kettle, so basicly I trap the heat from the bottom and heat the sides too. I used a pool filter and wrapped my BK to give me about 1" gap between the BK and the pool filter housing. I can keep my boil going with about 1/2 the propane I used to use. This is a massive savings for me!
 

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